Islamic Trends and Movements in Contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa—that is, Africa south of the Sahara—is frequently, but unjustly, seen as the periphery of the Muslim world, in terms of both geography and religious influence. By contrast, North Africa is considered to be directly linked to the alleged center of the Muslim world: the Arab Middle East. The underrepresentation of sub-Saharan Africa in Islamic studies is remarkable given that the region is home to one of the largest agglomerations of Muslims in the world today. Scholars have long written about an “African Islam,” reflecting the Sufi bias typical of scholarship on Islam in sub-Saharan Africa. The recurrent idea of an “African Islam” hampers a better understanding of the emergence of Islamic reform movements. The religious landscape in sub-Saharan Africa is marked by a wide variety of Sufi orders, reformist-oriented movements, and Islamist movements. These movements have been the subject of various studies in diverse disciplines, including anthropology, Islamic studies, religious studies, history, and political science. These various disciplines have examined trends, such as the role of traders and traveling scholars in the expansion of Islam, the emergence of the early jihadist movements, the role of the Sufi orders in popularizing Islam, varieties of Islamic reform, and Islamic militancy. Moreover, various studies have explored developments in specific areas, including gender and Muslim youth culture. These developments gave rise to new movements, demonstrating that Islam in sub-Saharan Africa is not a monolithic religion but is subject to change. Highlighting the heterogeneity of Islam in the region, we should distinguish between regions and countries that have a long tradition of Islamization (such as northern Nigeria, Senegal, and Zanzibar), and regions and countries that have become Muslim (at least partly) more recently (such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, and up-country Kenya). A distinction should also be drawn between regions and countries where Muslims form a majority of the population and areas where Muslims represent a minority. But where Muslims are a minority, such as in South Africa, they may still be in a strong position with respect to national politics.